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J. A. BUNNELL` INSULATED BALL JOINT.

No. 356,614. Patented Jan. 25, 1887.

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UNIIFED STATES,

PATENT Orricn.

JOSEPH A. EUNNELL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES THOMPSON ROBE, OF SAME PLAGE.

INSULATED BALL-JOINT.

SPEOIPICATIOIT forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,614,dated January 25,1887.

Application filed September El, 1886. Serial No. 213,183. (No model.)

To cir/ZZ whom, it may concern.:

e it known that I, J'osnrn A. BUNNNLL, a citizen ol the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Insulated Balldoints, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of this invention'is to provide an insulated ball-joint. rlhe manner oi'constructing said balljoint is set forth in the following specification and claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurc lA is a longitudinal central section of a ball-joint. Fig. 2 is a section in the plane x a", Fig. I. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of an insulator. Fig. is an elevation of one ball-section. Fig. 5 is a longituiglinal central section of another ball-section. Fig. 6 isalongitudinal central section of a modification.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The letter B indicates the socket within which rests the ball. The ball is made of two tubular or hollow sections, A The sections A X are detachably engaged the one with the other by screw-threads. A washer, F, enables the joint between the sections A X to be firmly closed, so as to prevent leakage between said sections. To insulate said joint, an insulator, I, of hard rubber or other iit material, is suitably applied to the joint.' In the exam ple shown in the drawings the insulator I lines or partly lines the section X. rlhe insulator I is provided with 1neans-such, for example, as a screw-thread-ior attaching a stein or apipe-section, O. The screw-thread can be formed direetly in the insulator I; but as such insulator may consistin someinstances of material which is not strong enough to stand a severe strain, it is well in such cases to form said screw-thread in a bushing or thimble, H, of metal er other suitable and strong material. The thimble or bushing H, with its screw-thread, isinserted into theinsu later I, so that said insulator' surrounds and insnlates the thimble I-I.

The ballsection X, the insulator I, and the another, and after said parts are properly joined the ball-section A is screwed into place on the ball-section X, thus preventing said insulator and bushing from coming out of their places.

In case the stem or pipe section C passes some distance into or through the ball-section X, said stem O may corne into contact with the ball-section A. By providing the ballsection A with an insulator, (i, said stem O will remain insulated, even it" said stem O passes through the section X. The insulator G can be formed et' a ring or disk of hard rubber or other it material, and soldered or otherwise fastened in'aseat or recess in the bail-section A. By making the washerFalso ofinsnlating materiahdanger of improper connection by means of the washer Fis avoided.

The socket B is provided with a screwthread for the attachment of a stem or pipe section, E. This screw-thread may be formed on a thimble or bushing, I), as seen in Fig. l, which thimble is soldered or suitably fastened in the socket B; or said sc1e.\.'thread may be formed directly on the socket B, as seen in Fig. 6, where the stem E is screwed directly onto the socket B.

The socket B can be formed et' one piece of material, as seen in Fin. l, and drawn or spun about the ball A X; or, as seen in FiO. 6, thesocket B can be formed of two sections suitably j oined-as, for exampleby screw-threads.

In some cases-es, for example, where the balljoint is used to suspend electric illuminating apparatus-it is advisable to limit the motion o'l" the joint, as otherwise by continued turning of the joint the wires 0r conductors of electricity might be twisted, torn, or broken. To limit such motion of the joint, a stop or detent, K, is applied. This detent can be formed of a pin or projection on the socket B entering a slot in the ball A X, as seen in Fig. l, or the 1n glade to enter a suitable slot in seen in Fig. 6.

In those cases where the ball-joint is used to support gas-burners or gas-chandeliers the in sulators should be formed of such non-conducting material asis not affected by gas-such,for example, as the material known to the trade as fiber-.7 To insure a close sitting of the ball the socket, as

or projection can be formed on the ball and in its socket, a spring, L, Fig. 6, may in some cases be employed to hold the ball in its seat.

The material known as liber is a poor conductor ot' electricity, and in case liber is em-Y ployed to insulate the ball-joint said `joint can be used to support a gas-burner or gaschandelier, and also one or more electric lights, the

insulated ball-joint preventing improper circuits ofthe electric current.

Vhat I claim as new, and desi rc to secure by` Letters Patent, is-

l.' Aninsulated balland-socketjoint consisting of the two tubular ball-sections A X, detachably con nected together, an insulator,I,lin ing the section X,and the socket B,inclosing the said two sections, substantially as described.

2. Aninsulated ball-and-soeketjointconsist ing of the two tubular ballsections A X, detaehably connected by screw threads on one engaging screw-threads in the other, an insulator, I, lining the ball-section X, and the socket B, iuclosing the said ball-sections,substantially as described.

3. An insulated ball-andvsocketjoint consisting of the tubularball-sections A X,detachably united by a scrcw-tlireaded connection, the insulator I, lining the ball-section X, the washer F between the ballseetions, the insulator-ring G, seated iu a recess in the ball-section A, and the socket B, inclosing the ballsections, substantially as described.

4. Aninsulatedball-a11dsocketjointconsisting ot' the two tubular ball-sections A X, detachabl y connected together, the insulator I, lining the ball-section X, the socket B, having Vserewthreads for the attachment of a pipe, E,

and a detent or stop, K, composed ot'apin ex tending inwardly from the socket B and engaging a slot in the ball-scction A, substantially as described.

Aninsulatedball-and-socketjointconsist ing of the two tubular ball-sections A X, detachably united by screw-threads on one engaging screwthreads in the other,an insulator, I, lining the ballseetion X,V the socket B, inclosing the ball-sections, and the detent or stop K, composedof a pin extending inwardly from the socket and engaging a slot in the ballsee tion A, substantially as described.

6. Aninsulated ball-and-sooketjoint consisting of the tubular ball-sections A X, united by screw-threads, the insulator I, lining the ballseetion X, the washer F between the ball-sec tions, the insulator-ring G, seated in a recess in the ball-section A, the socket B, inclosing the ball-sections, and the detent or stop K, cornposed of a pin extending inwardly from the socket and engaging a slot in the ball-section A, substantially as described.

7. Aninsulated ball-and-soeketjoint consisting of the two ball-sections A X, detachably screw-threaded together, the insulator I,lining the ball-section X, the internally -threaded thimble H, seated in the inner end of theinsulator-lining, and the socket B, inelosing the ball-sections, substantially as described.

8. An insulated balland-socketjoint consist ing of the two tubular ball-sections A X, one screwed into the other, the insulator I, lining the ball-section X, the internally threaded thimble H, -seated in the inner end of the insulator-lining, the insulator-ring G, arranged in a recess in the ball-section A, and the socket B, inclosing the ball-sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH A. BUNNELL. [L s] Witnesses:

WM. C. HAUFF, E. F. KAsTENHUBnR. 

